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Adding hunt tops to boots for height?

I have a pair of stock DerDaus that fit terribly. They are too wide, though the DerDau rep said they could take them in (does anyone have experience with this, does it work?) and also too short. The only way they can add height is by adding hunt tops (she said $300). Adding hunt tops would make them schooling boots for me, which is fine since it's better than just letting these boots go to waste, but not for $300. Does anyone have any ideas about where else might be able to do this for me, do a good job, and do it for significantly less than $300? (I could go for $100...).

Thanks!

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -Howard Thurman
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What about patent tops? Saw a pair with patent tops that were very snazzy. I would definitely have shown in them. I would not use hunt tops because I think that's some sort of faux pas if you aren't a hunt member.

It is definitely not acceptable to wear hunt tops if you have not earned them. There are probably other options to add height to your boots if you speak with either a good cobbler or one of the custom manufacturers, Dehner, Vogel, etc.

Good to know, I kind of thought it might be a little weird, but it seemed like the only option for adding sufficient height. I may try to sell them, but I'm not sure anyone will want them. Worth a shot, I guess. Thanks for the input.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -Howard Thurman
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If you really want to keep the boots, I'm sure you can find a local cobbler that can put a patent or hunt collar on top of them. If they are just schooling boots and worn at your home barn, it's not traditional but does it really matter? Technically you're not supposed to wear a shadbelly with jods and garters yet you see it every day! I have a pair of schooling boots that are the DeNiro boots with laces (*gasp!*), a zipper and a brown hunt top. I love them, and I have gotten nothing but compliments on them! I also have several friends that got the patent tops put onto their boots to add height and even with 3-4" added, it's really not that noticeable.

I say if you want to keep the boots and like the quality, find a good local cobbler that will work with you to make them fit!

It is definitely not acceptable to wear hunt tops if you have not earned them. There are probably other options to add height to your boots if you speak with either a good cobbler or one of the custom manufacturers, Dehner, Vogel, etc.

To clarify:In the hunt field, brown hunt tops may be worn by male members with their colors. Patent tops may be worn by lady members with their colors if they are wearing a frock coat. I'm a stickler in the hunt field but (as are most) but I say if you're only wearing them at home and there are no hunt members to offend then who cares! Or, what about adding a collar to match your current leather, maybe with contrasting piping at the seam?

I have a pair of brown Der Daus that are too short for me too. I love the boots but they need at least 2 inches more height for me. I have taken them to several cobblers but have yet to find one that will work on them. I found one that would reluctantly "try" - but I'm not about to let them experiment on my boots, only to have them ruined. I'm most likely going to sell them.

BTW, I spoke to Der Dau at the Royal last year, and they did say I could ship them (at my expense, of course) to them in NYC, and they would look into it. They quoted me approx $300 too. Just not worth it for me either.

At that price to do it right, I would sell and buy another pair. Sometimes you can find the stock Der Daus without a zipper (new) for about the cost of adding the top.
But if you did want to add the top and take them in, yes, a very good cobbler can do this well. And I'm sure a bad one can do it poorly. I would do patent or alligator rather than a brown hunt top but then that's likely more $.